Automate Azure VM shutdown from Powershell runbook not working and no error

Question

Hi Team,

I created a runbook for automating the shutdown of Azure VM the same is working for another VM but not working for others.

$connectionName = "AzureRunAsConnection"
try
{
# Get the connection "AzureRunAsConnection "
$servicePrincipalConnection=Get-AutomationConnection -Name $connectionName

"Logging in to Azure..."  
Add-AzureRmAccount `  
    -ServicePrincipal `  
    -TenantId $servicePrincipalConnection.TenantId `  
    -ApplicationId $servicePrincipalConnection.ApplicationId `  
    -CertificateThumbprint $servicePrincipalConnection.CertificateThumbprint   

}
catch {
if (!$servicePrincipalConnection)
{
$ErrorMessage = "Connection $connectionName not found."
throw $ErrorMessage
} else{
Write-Error -Message $.Exception
throw $.Exception
}
}
$azVMs = Get-AzureRMVM | Where-Object {$_.Tags.Starttime -eq '10AM'}
$azVMS | Start-AzureRMVM

I get the below when I test it without any error but the VM does not shutdown

Answer 1

Hi @TechGeek ,

I am wondering which user are you using for the Azure Connection.
In my case I am using the AzureRunAsConnection which is automatically created during setup the Azure Automation Account.
This account was added manually to the Contributor role in the second Azure Subscription.

In my PowerShell script it is this part to use the AzureRunAsConnection:

$Conn = Get-AutomationConnection -Name AzureRunAsConnection  
Add-AzureRMAccount -ServicePrincipal -Tenant $Conn.TenantID `  
-ApplicationID $Conn.ApplicationID -CertificateThumbprint $Conn.CertificateThumbprint  

Could you please verify which account is used for the connection in your script and if this account got the permission (role).

----------

(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 2

Not sure if this is just a type in the post:

Start-AzureRmVM will not shutdown the VMs. The command to shutdown the VMs is Stop-AzureRmVM.

Hope this helps.

----------

(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 3

Hey Sorry I pasted the wrong script I had two scripts basically one for stop and one for start, i used the stop still the VM does not shut down.

Below is the script.

$connectionName = "AzureRunAsConnection"
try
{
# Get the connection "AzureRunAsConnection "
$servicePrincipalConnection=Get-AutomationConnection -Name $connectionName

"Logging in to Azure..."
Add-AzureRmAccount `
    -ServicePrincipal `
    -TenantId $servicePrincipalConnection.TenantId `
    -ApplicationId $servicePrincipalConnection.ApplicationId `
    -CertificateThumbprint $servicePrincipalConnection.CertificateThumbprint 

}
catch {
if (!$servicePrincipalConnection)
{
$ErrorMessage = "Connection $connectionName not found."
throw $ErrorMessage
} else{
Write-Error -Message $.Exception
throw $.Exception
}
}
$azVMs = Get-AzureRMVM | Where-Object {$_.Tags.VMSCHEDULE -eq '11PM'}
$azVMS | Stop-AzureRMVM -force

Answer 4

I just tested the script below and it is working fine.

I am doing the connection a different way but the rest is the same. I added the $azVMs.Name to get an output which VMs are found.

## Connection  
$Conn = Get-AutomationConnection -Name AzureRunAsConnection  
Add-AzureRMAccount -ServicePrincipal -Tenant $Conn.TenantID `  
-ApplicationID $Conn.ApplicationID -CertificateThumbprint $Conn.CertificateThumbprint  
## Get VMs with Tag VMSCHEDULE:11PM  
$azVMs = Get-AzureRMVM | Where-Object {$_.Tags.VMSCHEDULE -eq '11PM'}  
## OUtput VMs  
$azVMs.Name  
$azVMS | Stop-AzureRMVM -force  

The result looks like this in the Test pane

And at the end both VMs are deallocted/stopped.

----------

(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 5

I added the $azVMs.Name still I get the same screen as before, to add some more information i have 3 subscriptions,s and when I run Get-AzureRmContext in the same script I see only one subscription i do not get the subscription where this VM is running